CHAPTER 2: part 5 of 8; back to Emem

back to the BEGINNING

EMEM

“Celestia, you are required in room 25 FMR immediately.” The loudspeaker blared this message to his mother just as they passed over the threshhold to enter the Observatory.  Emem knew she would probably have to take care of something in the huge building when they got there, but was frustrated that it would be THE first things she would have to do today.  She smiled at him a little questioningly.  He shrugged his shoulders and released her hand and tried to smile.  She leaned over and kissed him just a little above the point between his eyebrows.  He smiled more genuinely and grabbed her hand and shook a couple times before he let her go again.

Although she was walking away, she walked backwards until she had to turn a corner.  Once around the corner, she popped back a couple times to see if he was waiting.  Then, she threw him her love sign and disappeared around the corner.  He knew she wouldn’t pop back again because she’d given him her love to hold until she saw him again.  That was one of their special games.  She was full of wonderful ways to show him she loved him more than all the other things she sometimes had to do instead of spend time with him.  She was just wonderful!

Emem turned away from the hall she’d disappeared down and decided to go to his favorite observation deck to view ea-Arth.  His favorite observation deck was the tallest point on the base and it was the one that was programmed to constantly watch the North American continent.  He wanted to check on Florida today.  He loved thinking about those funny words the skin dwellers used to name their places.

On the Observation Deck:

Because he was where he was when he was, Em saw Dio explode from the water off the coast of Flagler Beach, Florida.  He was excited to watch one of the hidden ones make his way into the outworld.  Upon closer observation, Em realized that Dio was on a training journey and decided to sit down for a long watch.  It was unlikely to be very interesting, but he wanted to watch anyway.

He felt complete shock as he watched Dio losing altitude.  Emem, already interested, moved to adjust the focus of one of the screens.  Then he walked backward to his seat so as to be able to watch everything with all of his attention.  He was worried when the boy on the bird’s back came out of the cocoon and shifted into another sort of bird.  He was relieved to see that the bird the boy became was quite large, but worried, too, because even though he was large for a Junior, he couldn’t possibly carry his mentor very far.

The relief Emem felt when the two birds disappeared inside of the huge boulder cave in Halo’s Valley could've been felt if anyone else had been present on the Observation Deck.  He looked around and relaxed as he realized that there was no one else there with him.  He almost hoped the business his mother had to attend to would take a while longer than he’d normally ever wish.


© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 27th, 10am

CHAPTER 2: part 4 of 8; back to Tru-Kru, Tru

back to the BEGINNING

TRU-KRU

Tru’s Mother raced back to him and trilled her concern.  He knew she was worried.  He knew she would think there was something wrong with his frail limbs because his swim was even slower than normal.  He tried to communicate via sounds and body position the experience he’d just had, but she became agitated and even more concerned.  She misunderstood and believed he’d just avoided a predator of some sort.  She began to frantically search the waters for such a predator with her calls.

Immediately Tru began to soothe her and communicate peace through his energy as he gave up the effort to describe his experience.  His dolphin mother had adopted him as a toddler when both of his Dabsoner parents disappeared around the time a killer whale hunted their pod.  She swam very slowly to stay near him as they returned to the pod.  She stayed close for the rest of the day and Tru did feel comforted by her presence.  He wished, though, that there would be a gathering of the others like him sooner than the one he knew would come to pass with the full moon in another couple of weeks.

The rest of his pod became agitated as his mother shared a bit of what she thought she understood from what Tru had tried to convey.  This newest source of concern would not benefit him.  It was already difficult for many to accept him because he strayed from the pod so often to observe the humans.  He had done it enough times and for long enough periods of time that he was able to speak their language.  His pod didn’t know it for sure, but they felt certain he wasn’t trying as hard as he should to be a member of their family.  When he heard what his mother said to the others was completely wrong, Tru had to spend the next few hours sending them all peace and trying to convey comfort and safety in his sounds.  It was impossible to make them understand some things.  This newest experience as well as his desire to understand how he fit among those who looked more like him.

The family finally calmed.  Skwee approached and Tru wondered what she would say to him this time.  “Can you tell what you say, Tru?”

“You want to know it?”

“Yes.  Understand you better than your mother.  We same.”

Unfortunately, Skwee was right in too many ways.  Regardless of his distaste for her, he began to tell her of his experience.  She was quiet while he tried to convey the enormity of what he didn’t quite understand.

“The bird was not hurt or trying to bite?”  Skwee asked Tru.

“No.  It was rising to the sky to fly.”

“Did it seem to know others around?”

“No.”

“I have seen this.  It was two dark moons ago.  Another like bird rising, but this had no lump on back.”

“So you understand!?”

“Yes.  Of course.  We are the same.”

Tru knew she wanted them to be the same.  He knew she was a female of his kind, but she was not his kind.  He did not prefer her.  He had tried, but it did not work the way he saw it worked with the rest of the pod.  He could not help her in the way she wanted him to help her.  He was sorry.  She never got angry with him over anything.  He almost wished she would.  Then it would be easier to feel the lack of interest and distaste he felt for her.



© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 26th, 10am

On Some Deep-ish Doctrine of My Church

I know a sweet, lovely lady who writes beautifully.  Recently she wrote a post which contained questions she proposed that others might have about our Heavenly Mother.  I'm LDS (plain to see by lots of things in the sidebars).  If you didn't know we believe in a Heavenly Mother, like unto our Heavenly Father, then I encourage you to learn more about my religion.  And if you'd like a great blog to read about this and other topics pertaining to the LDS Faith, I'm happy to share!

So, I'm not the final word, or anything, of course, but I feel like I have something to say about this quote I found in this amazing lady's blog.  She wrote, "If we worship our  Father, what could be inappropriate about worshiping our Mother? Is there something inherent about being female that makes Her unworthy of worship? Is She a lesser being, not quite as divine as the Father, a sort of demi-goddess? Or not divine at all? Is She perhaps just some lucky woman who ended up married to God?"

Good questions, right?  Well, I hope you think my answers are somewhat acceptable!  ^_^  I'm not the final word, but I feel like I've been Led pretty strongly to some great points of understanding... I feel great clarity about this subject... I only hope, by The Holy Spirit, I'm able to communicate it here to you!!!  ^_^

One answer I'd always heard is that Heavenly Father loves his wife so much that He cannot stand for her to be profaned.  This could (did to me!) seem like a bit of a cop out.  "Yeah, right.  SURE!  What-ev!" I thought and felt!!!  Truly.  I did!  Don't you!?!

But I've had some experiences in my own horribly human marriage (which is not eligible for sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise as yet since my husband is not LDS and so, of course, we have not been sealed in the temple).  Notwithstanding our marriages cyclic horrible and numerous problems, Jessie is a good guy.  A really good guy, when he's on that side of the line!  There have been quite a few instances, a few distant and one all too recent, when others in the world have been on "attack Tori" mode.  To my great surprise and pleasure, Jessie has put on some mighty spiffy armor and gone in sword raise to defend me.   Then there are some instances in which our children have shown more than the normal disrespectful behavior toward me with my husband present and his armor appeared out of thin air.  The point?  The point is that his outward show of protective love for me is a mere smidgey, practically insignificant relatively speaking, show compared to how Heavenly Father loves His woman.  A smidgey... insignificant... (NOT to ME... but in comparison!)

Can you imagine how much our Heavenly Father would want to do harm to those who would malign our Heavenly Mother (His Wife)?  I mean, think about the peeps at Noah's time... that was for, what?  Because they didn't worship Him, right?  I mean... it wasn't like he gave them a day and said, "If you don't shape up, you're all going to die!"  He gave them more than 600 years worth of days.  Right.  But reason the whole earth was depopulated was for lack of devotion and worship of their creator... not necessarily constant maligning of Him... just disobedience.  ("Just"  HA!  I know that's silly... but I use it to make a point.)  I don't think it's a stretch of the imagination to think that, among the other bad choices made, there were plenty enough of those who didn't get on the boat who were worshipping Gaia (or some such heavenly mother of all (including any and all gods)).  I guess I can just see so much more now how that really could be a BIG part of the direction to focus on worshipping God, rather than trying to split worship.  And as I wrote those last few words of that last sentence there comes to my mind a scripture that references serving two masters.  I'm sure you know the one.  I'm not going to look it up right now.  The meaning is written on my heart, if you need the book, chapter, and verse, I'll leave you to that.  ;)

I also feel like Heavenly Mother doesn't care for the attention.  Now, this could come from observation of some really amazing women (and some men), but the most amazing servants I have observed are usually those who don't want anyone to know they are serving.  They feel uncomfortable when others speak to them of their service.  I think this is a trait born of our Heavenly Mother.  She is the origination point (from the Whole) of that feeling... at least, this is what I feel and believe!  :)

Also, I think it becomes difficult for humans to differentiate between God worship, God AND Godess worship versus exclusive worship of a godess.  I think that the way I just wrote that may not be very clear....  To explain differently: if we, as the LDS church, were to try to promote worship by addressing the pair as a whole, too many Mormons AND non-members alike would be unable to focus on the two and would turn to only one or the other.  (go back to the book, chapter and verse I know you totally had to look up... and we find a potential key to the problem?)  Yes, Mormons (mostly) know that the Heavenly Couple are United - a whole, incomplete without the other.  However, the very nature of your (our) questions, reveal how much we truly do NOT understand the totality of the wholeness and unity which IS Them.  Ya know?

I think, also, that our egos are way more of a problem than we realize.  We, as humans, but perhaps especially women (because we live in a Patriarchal world (for the most part)) are put in a position in which we "must" be humble... maybe even more humble, generally speaking than men?  I mean, what man could deal with constantly being told he was (whether purposefully or not, whether by word or deed) "less than" his wife.  Admittedly, those men who do this (whether in leadership or simply in the home are exibiting the epidomy of unrighteous dominion, but that's basically a whole other subject, isn't it??)  Okay, well, the current mainstream culture is being excluded from my consideration for the sake of the position I'm presenting (particularly because the whole man-hate thing is really NEW in the scheme of things - at least in the last hundred + year)... Guys just couldn't deal/cope/function and still stay faithful and attend church regularly and feel good about themselves generally.  Feel free to tell me if you think I'm wrong about that.  I am NOT male bashing here.  I'm just suggesting that men cannot cope with being in women's shoes (just as I could not and DO NOT want to be in a man's!!!!).  Not most guys, anway!  But as a woman, we must do as most men could not because human males are, well... HUMAN!  They (general assumption, I DO know there are exceptions!) just don't GET the unity thing and, instead, buy into the easier: "I'm the man, so what I say goes," malarky.  Which means they are discounting or completely ignoring  other aspects of how Father God has told them to be toward their Wife (even in only the Holy Bible, for crying out loud)!

To answer the above quoted questions more directly (for my own clarity of thought):

Question:
"If we worship our Father, what could be inappropriate about worshiping our Mother?"

My DIRECT answer:
Taking the two apart is a bit of sacrilidge, maybe?  I mean, they twain shall become ONE is so much more complete than I think we can possibly understand.  So, trying to take them apart and address them seperately is #1 beside the point, #2 disobedient to what we have heard from our Prophet, and #3 see number one.  Right?

Question:
"Is there something inherent about being female that makes Her unworthy of worship?"

My DIRECT answer:
ABSOLUTELY positively and without a shadow of a doubt: NO!  It is, I believe, truly the opposite of this.  It is desire to protect, shield, shelter, defend that our Father God would have us not address her.  For to address her respectfully puts Her in the light of awareness to all and thus sort of paints a target on her for those who would DISrespect her....  I mean, there must needs be opposition in all things.  So if there are 10 folks (like you) who desire to worship Her openly, there must needs be 10+ folks who would malign, disrespect, abuse, and otherwise negatively treat Her to the best of their ability.
Question:
"Is She a lesser being, not quite as divine as the Father, a sort of demi-goddess? Or not divine at all?"
My DIRECT answer:
No way.  See above.  Not just the direct answers.  :)

 Question:
"Is She perhaps just some lucky woman who ended up married to God?"

My DIRECT answer:
Certainly you know this is a rather silly question as soon as it is re-read.  Don't you??  We learn and must know, on some level, that Godhood (of male or female) is UNachievable without the Other.  So, the Other is a key "ingredient" or a key Member of the whole that achieves.

If one (lone male) cannot achieve that Celestial degree of Glory, then the contributions of the Other will necessarily CONTRIBUTE to the achievement.  Right?  Thus, she is not the lucky "one," but, in fact, they are the "lucky" pair to have found and worked hard enough together to stay together and stridently enough to achieve unity.

I'm thinking of a climbing analogy.  I don't climb, but tried it.  I wasn't good at it.  I slipped a LOT.  I dislike holding others down or back!  Anyway... the analogy:  A couple meet in the midst of their climb.  They get married.  By their married (sealed or civil) they accept bindings to each other.  A temple sealed marriage has a sort of binding that is more complete than a civilly married couple.  The two look ahead and plan the point to which they desire to climb and agree on a course to achieve it (hopefully).  So, they set out.  Sometimes they each climb really well and they are both happy with each other.  Other times one slips and the other has to try to not slip.  This is frustrating for the one who did not slip and can result in some negative returns.  If there are too many slips on the climb to Celestial Glory from either (or, heaven forbid both) partner(s), the pair will not reach the pinnacle in any sort of timely fashion... if ever.  Only when there is constant thought, desire (emotion for my analogy), spiritual commitment, and temporal effort made from both spouses will the pair achieve the topmost point/goal of their climb.  Once sealed, two are tether together by almost unbreakable chords.  Discord, malcontentment, anger, hate, etc. can break them, it is true, but only after long sawing at the bindings.  Those who reach the top have achieved a point of Unity which is Sealed by the Holy Ghost, which makes their binding truly Eternal, more complete than we can understand in our finite condition.

The point?  She didn't just luck out in finding a good climber.  They were either both good climbers.  OR the better climber taught the other, in a way that the other could receive, how to climb so that they could achieve their goals.  Is one luckier than the other?  I think not!  For even if one started out a better climber, s/he could not have achieved the top unless the other made equal efforts.

So, too, with our Heavenly Mother.  She did not dangle on the end of her bindings.  The Holy Spirit would not Seal such.  Don't you think so?

CHAPTER 2: part 3 of 8; back to Keera

back to the BEGINNING

KEERA

There were three manatee mothers who had lost babies and were still in milk, so they were each hoping to save a human baby.  Keera was sad that they had lost their own babies, but thankful that they desired to rear others like her.  She loved all the manatees and wanted to do whatever she could to help them.

Ingo, an enormous manatee-looking mabsoner male, arrived from checking on other manatee gatherings to see if there were any other mothers who desired to try to save a human child.  Ingo was alone, so apparently he hadn’t found anyone.

“Why aren’t you eating Keera?”  Ingo asked in a combination of manatee-like sounds and body postures.  He seemed angry, as he always did when he communicated with Keera about food.

“Watching over these mothers.  They are sad.  Not hungry.”

“You look hungry.  You need to eat.  You will become too cold and no longer be able to help these sad ones.”

“Yes, you could be right." Keera said, "Eat soon.  Yes, soon.”

“No.  Eat now.  Need to see eat.”

“Why, Ingo?  No need concern the food this body or cold around it."  Keera knew she didn't look healthy compared to other mabsoners.  She was far too thin to look like she could stay warm and healthy.  But she defied expectation.  Addressing Ingo, she finished her effort to soothe him, "Be well.  All is well.”

“No concern?  Aly may not understand concern, but Aly is young.”

Keera wondered what Ingo could possibly mean, but didn’t care enough to puzzle over it long.  She went back to her intense observation and efforts with the bereaved mothers.

“Eat. Eat now.”  Ingo had her favorite foods in his big hands.  She smiled at him and delicately took some of them.  He plopped the rest on a stone near her.  Keera shrugged and began to daintily eat from those plants she’d chosen among all that Ingo had presented.  She knew well this dance and once again refused to follow his direction.  He was perturbed, but left calmly enough.

Keera put the food she'd held down near the rest and swam over to one of the most sorrowing mothers and put her arms around her.  The mother was almost not moving – even with breath.  Keera felt great concern rise inside like waves with the rising tide.  After a few moments of trying to share her grief, Keera changed tactics.  She started to direct her feelings and thoughts to love and hope and push them out of her own body and into the body of this sorrowing young mother.  The mother shifted and sighed and began to move in the slow, easy way manatees moved to get from one feeding area to another or from one near place to another.  The less sorrowful manatee mother smiled at Keera as she passed her.

Fatigue swept over Keera as the mother swam away.  She felt like she needed to eat right now, but couldn’t get herself to move toward the stone on which she’d left the gift Ingo had given.  Almost as if he knew what she was experiencing, Ingo was next to her.  His large hands at her waist and supporting her head as he moved her back to the stone.  He held her up as she weakly reached for some of the food there.  “This why.  Aly need eat more.  Cannot help sad mothers with nothing on Aly body.  Must be more so help them.  They are more.  Aly must grow more body to help their spirits.”

Keera wondered if Ingo just might be onto something.  He was a wise one.  He was one of those born in these waters of parents born among the Madsoners for generations.  He was a very big man and fit right in with the manatees, though he had significantly more hair.  Keera did not belong, if belonging were only defined by physical appearances.  Even though she’d never felt and sense of misplacement or different-ness about herself before, just this moment she did feel, in a profound way, that she needed to be healthier to contribute in her family and this world.

© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 25th, 10am

CHAPTER 2: part 2 of 8; back to Annalynn (Aly)

back to the BEGINNING
ANNALYNN

The summer break would end, depending on who went where, between tomorrow or within the next couple of weeks for most of Aly's friends.  They would return to their daily activities in an old building previously used for public school.  So, Aly wanted to spend time with one of her favorites friends today.

Looking at her watch, she considered which of her friends might have some time to spend with her.  It was almost 8:30am.  Aly leaned toward the only 'new-glass' surface in her parents’ home and pressed the whole of her hand against it while speaking, “Sandra, are you available?”  Aly waited all of two minutes.  She knew two minutes was a ridiculous amount of time to wait, but she wanted to give her friend plenty of time to answer.  Aly tried again, “Elly, are you all booked up for the day?”  Almost immediately Elly’s face appeared in the glass in front of Aly.

“Not a bit, girlie.  What’s on your mind?”

 “Oh, I just thought it’d be nice to spend some time with you, if you’re not too busy, before you go back to The Grind.”

“Sure.  That sounds phenomenal.  I'd love to spend time with you.  Where would you like to meet?”

 “Oh, somewhere West of where I am… closer to you.  Where do you think would be nice?”

 “Aly, I don’t have a thing to do today, but I did have somewhere I wanted to go.  Why don’t you come along with me and we’ll spend some time in nature today?”

“Oh!  That sounds wonderful!  Where?”

“What do you think about Halo’s Valley.  Do you know that one?”

“No.  Halo’s Valley.  Is there a jump point there?”

“Definitely not!  Which, of course, is why we should go!  We’ll have to jump to Trees Twining and hike to Halo’s Valley.  Are you up for it?”

Tentatively Aly said, “Yes… but how long is the hike?” she never knew exactly what was going to happen when she spent time with Elly.  Elly usually taught her about the old ways.  Tthere were definite themes to their ities, Aly never knew exactly what Elly would want to show and tell her about from one visit to another.  That was much of the fun of spending time with a woman who had lived so many more years than Aly.

“Oh, it’s an easy one for you, girlie girl!  It’ll be harder for me!  Don’t you worry about a thing, though, girlie.  We’re going to have a grand ol’ time!”


© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 23rd, 10am

When a Partner Refuses Children

I don't have all that much experience with this subject, but felt like I must write something about it.  I'm really not sure why because I don't think there are all that many people (other than my fam) who read here, but here goes!  ^_^

So, I know of some folks who are not in agreement.  It's so very difficult to be in a place of not agreeing with your spouse.  I DO know a LOT about THAT, unfortunately.

Anyway... I know a couple ladies... good Christian ladies, strong in the LDS Faith (at least, seems to me they are) who refuse to have any more children even though their husband desires more and feels strongly that they should have more.  I know, for sure, that at least two of the ladies I know of  are afraid of having more children.  One of them is afraid because of health reasons.  The other is afraid because of a combination of health and financial reasons.

I love all the people I know who refuse more children.  I'm not standing in judgement of them.  I simply do not understand their refusal.  I used to feel angry about this lack of understanding on my part and I'm sure others may have misunderstood and thought I was angry at them...  But, you see, I think I'm pretty okay in the intelligence arena.  I'm not the cream of the crop, or anything, but I can wrap my mind around some pretty interesting and possibly even dificult subjects.  But I simply cannot wrap my little brain around refusing more children.  I mean, I understand the words these folks speak, but I just don't get how those words jive with their Faith.

Don't get me wrong.  I have my own issues where Faith and trust mash and don't mesh.  I have begun to remember something from my childhood and it has caused some seismic shocks unlike any of the transformational psychic shifts I've experienced in the last 8 years.  And the shock waves issuing forth from the partial memory remembrance have, combined with other experiences (a plethora, actually), created the circumstances in which I have made certain choices about trust.  To trust or not to trust, that is the question.  And I've chosen to cut way back on trusting as a result of my experiences.  There are those who would say that this is counter to having Faith and I would simply respond that they don't have enough information... and, sorry to say, but I'm not sharing the pertinent data.  In fact, I would say that I have been Led (of our Father God) to cut way back on trusting.  He is teaching me to be other than my nature.  Makes perfect sense, really.  The natural (wo)man is an enemy to God.  My nature just happens to be a bit too open as far as God is concerned.

However, when I ask whether the decision (among those I have ventured to probe this deeply) to refuse children was inspired of the Lord, I have yet to receive an affirmative answer.  The responses rest heavily on the understanding of men... the philosophies of men, if you will.  I know of one couple who recently had their final child.  I never asked, because it came up in the course of conversations, but this family truly believes that Heavenly Father has approved their family size.  And to the extent that I understand this family, it seems likely that they are absolutely correct.  I understand that.  I feel sorta sad that they are so young (younger than me and not having more children just seems young... silly, but still!),

CHAPTER 2: part 1 of 8; back to Matthiel

back to the BEGINNING
Matthiel

It seemed to take much longer than he expected, to rise from his home within the earth to the surface of the water.  He was more grateful than he would’ve imagined for the cocoon he was contained within because, though they were protected by a pocket of air, as they were rising from their home he could feel the cold seeping into the air around them from the deep waters through which they were rising.

Dio was very still.  He dared not move for fear of puncturing their pocket of air before the correct time.  As they continued their journey upward, Matt realized he had no idea how to determine when it was time to begin upward navigation.  He’d never been taught the timing of the journey.  He paused a moment to prepare the question and then sent it directly to Dio’s mind.

“This is one of the reasons you are mentored, my friend.  You must travel with me or another experienced spotter for many journey’s before you will have the timing correct and sense the changes which occur in the propulsion and environment around us just before surface is reached.  The surface of these large waters change based on moon position and weather, to name only two considerations.”

Matt was silenced by the awe he felt.  How did he not realize there was so much more to these expeditions than he thought?  Why hadn’t anyone told him there was so much more to learn?  After a few moments reflection, he realized he had been told!  His mother, father, Dio, and all the other mentors had communicated regularly that the training they went through on the learning field and in the theory school.  In fact, they had declared that their training was only beginning when they teamed with a specific mentor to make surface journeys.  He simply hadn't consciously remembered those conversations because he simply discounted them.  Matt realized how big-headed and overconfident he’d been in thinking he could handle these journeys himself just because he was able to shift more quickly and with greater ease than his peers.

Dio’s thought was jumbled.  Matt could not determine what Dio was trying to say.  “Emergency.  Mon….” Dio was losing altitude.  Matt knew that if they lost too much air, Dio would be spotted by the surface dwellers and the results for both of them would almost certainly be horrific.  Not able to calm his mind sufficiently to attempt communication, Matt made a spur of the moment decision.  Dio was still losing altitude, and fast, so Matt quickly climbed out of his cocoon and smoothly shifted.  He immediately began flapping while holding firmly to Dio’s wings nearest his body.  Dio was almost completely asleep, it seemed.  Matt knew  he was a strong flyer, but he also knew he would not be able to carry Dio to their planned observation point.  Thankfully all of the youth in training were taught how to locate the emergency hide-stations that dotted the surface.

Matt calmed himself as much as possible and quieted his mind.  He began to search his senses so that he could locate the point on the surface from which he would feel a greater sense of Peace to which he might orient himself.  The internal guidance system had been one of his weaker areas in practice, even though he’d been practicing it with his parents since his earliest years – long before he began his official training time.  He knew how to feel the points of greater Peace, which would guide him to the hide-station nearest where he was, but it took far longer than he expected.  He was sure the additional focus time was, at least in part, due to the intense focus he had to maintain to hold somewhere near the correct altitude while also trying not to feel too worried about the whole situation.

Just when Matt was beginning to feel fear almost overwhelm him, he began to sing the seeking song.  Without even thinking about beginning to sing, he found himself singing it.  It came from his beak and he immediately felt the nearest hide-station.  Matt immediately re-oriented himself to the location and as he did so a map with areal pictures seemed to appeared before his eyes until he knew he would recognize the spot from his current height.  Thankfully the direction he'd originally been flying was almost exactly the correct one.  Matt felt a heart surge of gratitude and allowed it to explode from his true-self into the world.

In less time than he thought it require, Matt saw the key identifiers on the land below him and began to dive toward his destination.  All signs indicated that Dio was still sleeping.  Matt was so relieved at their imminent arrival that he almost lost his balance in the air.  He righted himself and felt Dio’s mind still closed in sleep.  Matt knew there must be something terribly wrong with his mentor for sleep to have overcome him this way.

Once he was almost nearly directly above his destination, about 6 feet from the ground, Matt fell the rest of the way into what looked like a solid rock.  He let go of Dio just before he, himself, tumbled and rolled into the rock and fell through the ground onto the smooth ground of the hidden cave.  Dio fell and rolled and stopped in a horribly uncomfortable-looking position a few feet from Matt.

© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 22nd, 10am

next part of CHAPTER 1: meet Weebly

FIRST part of Chapter 1
WEEBLY [pronounced WEE-blee]

Memories among the Greys extend into the preHistory of earth's solar system.  The death of their own planet, which was caused by the lifePath they, as a race, chose was marked by the change that began their new form of existence.  Weebly, while changed in the same way as the rest, was also unchanged in specific and important ways.

Weebly was the equivalent of a 12 year old human when his planet died.  His parents put him to sleep by chemical means before the planet's final death throes because they didn't want him to witness and experience the death of their planet.  They knew what their race had done in destroying the planet and wanted to shelter Weebly from the cosmic rip each person who was also part of the planet would experience upon it's death.  Scientists predicted the rip and how it could dramatically impact each individual during the final death throes of their planet.  They had no way to comprehend the true magnitude of the results.  It was theorized that those who experienced the planet's death would experience a change in their nature unlike anything they could comprehend.  The fact that they suggested that no one would be able to comprehend it did not prevent many from trying to explain or predict.  As a result, many fell into complacence and regarded the whole experience as something that was simply necessary in their evolution.  They were determined to simply move on to another planet and continue their civilazation as before.

Weebly was already slumbering in his chemical rest in his parents' spacecraft, which was given to them as a perk of being among the planet's ruling members, when his parents decided to put Weebly into the processing chamber that would alter his DNA sufficiently to make him immortal.  The changing chamber would not begin his change immediately.  The machine would only begin to process an adult body.  So Weebly's body was grown at an excellerated rate while he slept as he was sustained by intravenous foods, muscles stimulation pulses, and altered to become immortal when his body achieved adulthood.  Many of those who escaped the planet entered the changing chambers.  However, there were no other children among those who were changed.  Weebly’s parents had gone through the change immediately after the death of their planet and while Weebly slept, was processed to adulthood and became an immortal adult, though otherwise 12 years old.  Weebly was the only child-minded grey.

Going through the change removed from the greys their procreative capabilities. The various Grays who survived in their changing chambers reunited and built a fantastic society of space dwellers. They were able to create almost anything since they had all the time they needed to figure out how to do whatever they wanted to do. But they yearned to be able to multiply and bring up young of their own again. And so they searched through innumerable galaxies within the universe for intelligent life so that they could regain their lost procreative powers by way of unification with a lifeform that retained their ability to procreate.

After eons of searching, finding and rejecting numerous lifeforms with which they might join, the Greys stumbled, as it were, upon earth and the humans inhabiting it.  In all fairness, they felt they were signaled by humanity when nuclear weapons were being used.  The Greys were specifically impressed with the smoke signal-like attention-attracting clouds produced in Japan.  And so they came.

They found humans to be remarkable compatible with their own genetic sequence and desired to unite with them after very little testing.  And so they regularly ventured into earth's atmosphere to collect specimens for testing and tissue collection.

It was after decades of such specimen collection and hybrid creating that Madra and Pedre, Weebly's parents before the change, decided it was time for Weebly to view the specimen collection center: earth.  Weebly was excited to make the journey.  He didn't understand why he'd never been welcome to make the trips before, but he was glad he was being included this time around.  Madra and Pedre were significantly more experienced in all in-world traveling and especially in specimen collecting, so being assigned to make his first journey with them was special and meant as an honor.  He definitely felt the significance of it.


© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: June 21st, 10am

next part of CHAPTER 1: meet Ziganths

FIRST part of CHAPTER 1
Ziganths [pronounced: zig-ANTH-ssss]

It was just completely wrong.  Being here was just completely wrong.  Why did they have to travel to places like this and just take.  Ziganths just hated himself.  He hated his people.  He just hated his race.  He'd felt like this so long, centuries by human year-counts, but he was still merely a teenager among his people.  He felt miserable knowing he was absolutely powerless among his own.

Zig felt horrible about everything his people, the Annunaki, stood for and everything they did.  He didn't understand why almost all of his people felt it was their right to take anything they needed or desired and give nothing back.  He understood the thought processing that made it right among the majority.  He understood the theory.  He just could not comprehend the ability to believe such things to the extent and in the way most of his people did.  He couldn't believe that his race's mode of operation was a truly acceptable way of being and it certainly was not, so far as he was concerned, living.  It was merely existing.  Worse, even than survival.  To take and give nothing was merely existing.

Zig longed to do more than merely exist.  He yearned to learn from those from whom the Annunaki only took.  He desired to understand their ways.  From his vantage point of centuries of existence, it seemed to him that the minute-long-lives of the humans were fuller and more completely full of LIFE than anything he had yet experienced.

His desires were considered taboo among others of his kind.  He'd only ever found a few others like him.  There was only one other youth in his company who felt similarly.  Zidelths was the closest thing he had to a friend.  But because they were not of the same dwelling floor, they could not spend time together without arousing suspicion.  The others who harbored feelings like his were almost all ancients among his people, so far as he could tell.

Middlepathkeepers were so stuck in the culture.  They were unwilling to consider that there could be good outside of their own ways.  Surely there must be an exception of two even among them, but Zig refused to attempt to converse with any of the Middlepathkeepers about his taboo thoughts and feelings again because of the un-accepting and unbending refusals and rejections his wishes had earned him.  His parents had firmly demanded that he refrain from his unacceptable thought processing which had resulted in a firm reprimand on their permanent record.

He wondered repeatedly why he must feel so differently from the majority.  Why couldn't he just feel like the others?  It would certainly make his life easier.  But... when it came right down to it, he didn't want to feel the same way they did and enjoy doing and existing as he was forced to do and exist currently.  It didn't seem that they were truly better off  for their views, beliefs, and practices than he was in his divergent ways.  Perhaps his lot, being the outsider, was an improvement over belonging to the society of takers he despised.  Yes.  It must be.

So, if he was really okay with himself, as odd as he was among his own kind, what did that mean?  What should he do!?


© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: the June 20th, 10am

The Same and Always Different

I continue to think and ponder much on Unity and Oneness with our God and each other (including all Mommy's battling in the Mommy wars... working and homemaker alike!).  I just keep realizing anew how totally the same (and always different) we are!  This isn't always a pleasant re-realization for me, but, for the most part, even when unpleasant it is somehow comforting.

So, we are one with each other because we are all part of God.  If you don't believe that, then this post (and probably much of what I think) will likely be uninteresting to you.  And that's okay.  It would've been totally uninteresting to me not too many years ago.  I have not always understood as I do now.

Like, for instance, my views and practices regarding attire.  If someone would've told me 10 years ago (or, heck, even when I was preggie and even 4 weeks postpartum with Jmy) that I would lose all desire to wear pants and that by June 2012 I would've been wearing skirts exclusively for more than a year, I would've laughed them to scorn.  You see, I knew who I was!  And that just simply did not fit into the person I knew myself to be.  Then God stepped in... some thoughts happened... and here I am!  Seriously changed.  I was just thinking about wearing pants again (a particular pair of size 10 jeans, which I do not fit in currently) and I just felt an absolute absence of desire to actually wear them... try them on, YES!  But no desire whatsoever to wear them.

And so I'm now two people.  My past self who would never have believed I could be one of "those" women... and now, one of "those women".  And I'm happy with both parts of me.  You see, I know that who I was helped me become who I am and I'm REALLY striving to stay in a place of acceptance, peace and love of and for me.  (NOT always an easy task, for sure!)  This person I am, even more than the person I used to be knows that even though this is part of my path, maybe it's not for every woman.  Maybe it is and others are simply in a different place.  Maybe it never will be.  Either way is a-okay.  Seriously.  Because regardless of what is right for me, I truly believe that if it right for someone else and they are trying to be God's, He will bring them to it in His own Way and time.  This is MUCH easier to say and feel and know and believe about everyone in the world outside of my little nuclear family.  It is true of EVERYONE in the world.  I'm just not as good at extending Charity and many/most of the good character quality traits/virtues to those closest to me.  (REVEAL!  I'm a TOTALLY imperfect, fallible, and sin ridden woman... I bet you never woulda guessed it!!  HA!)

Anyway... I completed following back in February.  It is representative of this subject, I believe.  It is also meant to be a representation of The Mandlebrot Set... in a limited way.  :)  Its title is in words on the painting itself.

How are YOU today?

Just wondering.

How ARE you today??

next part of CHAPTER 1: meet Yilandria

FIRST part of CHAPTER 1, if you haven't already read it... and you can move forward from there.

YILANDRIA [pronounced yil-AN-dree-uh]
Yiddy [pronounced yi-DEE]

The time was coming.  Mum and Daddy said so.  Surely they would know.  The prophecy was specific and easy to the understanding f had the right combination of Gifts.  It was clear that her parents were two of the few who could understand readily.  During all of the time she could remember of her 15 years, Mum and Daddy had always known things others didn't know.  Sometimes Mum knew them more clearly, but when Daddy tried, he knew immediately as well.  Yilandria thought that's the way it was for everyone, but had learned otherwise in a training mod when she was 11, which had become very confusing and frustrating because of her lack of understanding.  It was bad enough that her co-mods had looked at her oddly on a regular basis, but it became even more pronounced when she had spoken her assumption that everyone understood as she and her parents did.  She has explained a very very short portion of one of the most simple prophecies, read by everyone almost daily.  When asked how she knew what she was talking about, she had shrugged and asked, "Doesn't everyone?"  Some had wrinkled their brows with anger, while others looked worried and even a little scared.  They knew they would be severely reprimanded if they were unkind to Yiddy for her inappropriate revelation, but she'd felt seperate and unaccepted during the remaining cycles of that mod.

It was rare that anyone left the colony to make checks, but her family had been asked to do just that.  She was pretty sure it was because of her parents' Gifts. She wondered why she was so specifically asked to accompany them.  They would've taken her anyway, but the Captain had spoken directly to her and asked her to journey with her folks to make the distance jump to the Moon Post.  The fact that he'd asked her so specifically worried her enough that when she thought on it too long, her bgelly felt all clenchy and upset.

Yiddy looked up from her page and back down again without seeing.  She hadn't written a single thing toward completing her assingment for the day.  Mum would be disappointed.  Yiddy felt disappointed with herself.  She knew her education was of treme.  Mum and Daddy had told her innumerable times that no matter what they did, they could  It was up to her to learn the material they provided for her learning.  She really did love to learn!  It just felt impossible to focus after the meeting with the Captain earlier in the morning in which he specifically requested her to make the journey with her parents.


© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: the June 18th, 10am

next part of CHAPTER 1: meet EMEM

FIRST part of the story HERE.

Emem [pronounced: EM-em]
11 year-old Emem was beyond excited that his Mother, Celestia, was taking him to the observatory today.  He was happy to learn whatever his Mother planned for his days, but his favorite activity was always to watch eA-arth.  His Mother had been one of the lead sign spotters and communication specialists before he was born.  Her knowledge was still sought on a regular basis.  She didn't mind, but she always seemed happiest when there were no outside interruptions in their days.  She told Emem that he number one AND favorite work was with him, teaching him and just spending time with him.

As they walked to the observatory, he felt his heart begin to race and he started to swing his Mother's hand and skip a little as he walked.  He looked over and slightly down at her and she smiled back at him.  He was so very happy!  She was his everything.  Sure, he loved his Dad, but his Mother was the light in his days.  He loved the way her hair was always perfectly pulled up and knotted into a bun when they were out among others.  Her hair was beautiful, bt he loved that it was almost always hid away except at home.  She had the most beautiful brown eyes and deep dimples when she smiled, which she did often during their days together.

Emem wondered if they would have the changce to see anything interesting on their visit today.  It was always wonderful to watch eA-art, but his favorite days were those in which he got to see the hidden ones checking on the outworld to observe the sign makers at work.



© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: the June 16th, 10am

Vulnerable

http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html?source=facebook#

This is great.  About vulnerability.  Definitely need to LEARN this.  Already know it... now to learn it.

next part of CHAPTER 1: meet Tru-Kru

If you've missed the beginning, START HERE and you'll be guided through each section until you're right back here!  :)

Tru-Kru [pronounced True-Crew]

Dabsoners came into existence in exactly the same way and at almost exactly the same time as the Mabsoners.  The only difference in their races is that the Mabsoners were found and raised by Manatees, while the Dabsoners were rescued and adopted by Dolphins and/or Porpoises.

Tru-Kru, a strong 13 year-old Dabsoner, was swimming with his pod near the shore of Flagler Beach, Florida.  He was swimming at record-breaking speeds for a human, but always lagging far behind his dolphin family.  His body, which was long and lean, was completely hairless from swimming at high speeds constantly.  He was shocked by the surging bubbles that leapt at him from below.  He was buffeted by them, unable to control his flight through the water and further seperated from his pod.  He was tossed by the bubbles and struggled to reach the surface.  As he did, the same strange bird Aly had seen exploded from, what seemed to Tru, an enormous bubble surrounded by a fountain of water that pushed and moved the bird up through the water to explode into the sky.

Tru watched as the bird, flung by the air bubble and water fountain, kept going up and up almost until Tru could only see what looked like a normal-sized bird that soon disappeared into the clouds.  Before the bird disappeared from view, though, Tru spotted movement in a strange sack attached to the bird's back.  Tru almost completely motionless, moving only enough to stay afloat, as he contemplated the oddity.  He'd never seen a bird so large, or any bird for that matter, come from the depths of the waters.  And he'd certainly never seen a bird with a thing attached to its back like the one he'd just observed.

As he was pondering on the strangeness, he heard his Mother's call for him.  He knew she would be breaking the surface momentarily, so after waiting a few heartbeats, he called back and then slowly moved toward her.  He knew she would be back to him far more quickly than he could reach her, so he didn't rush because he was still puzzling over the strangeness.  His efforts were not focused and he was feeling lazy as a result of the curiousity... it was like there was something in the air that caused him to move even more slowly than his normal slow pace.

© 2008-2012 Tori Gollihugh All Rights Reserved

next installment: the June 15th, 10am